Lawsuit filed to prevent use of herbicide in Lake George

LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A lawsuit has been filed in an effort to stop an herbicide from being added to two bays in Lake George. The Lake George Park Commission approved the move in a 6 yes to 2 abstention vote in May.

The Lake George Association (LGA), Lake George Waterkeeper, Town of Hague, Town of
Dresden, and nearby property owners filed the suit against the Lake George Park
Commission (LGPC), Adirondack Park Agency (APA), and New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation. The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order, a preliminary injunction, and permanent injunctive relief.

The LGPC approved contractor SOLitude Lake Management to add the herbicide ProcellaCOR to the lake in an effort to manage a pest called Eurasian Watermilfoil. Many local residents opposed adding the chemical to the water, stating the research behind the herbicide isn't sufficient, and it contains PFAS.

The lawsuit claims the addition of ProcellaCOR violates their right to a clean environment under the Green Amendment to the New York State Constitution.

The proposed use of ProcellaCOR would be on the upper west side of the lake, in the town of Hague; one at Blairs Bay, and the other at Sheep Meadow Bay. At both sites, the problem is growth of Eurasian Watermilfoil, an invasive plant species that grows quickly in water bodies it’s tracked into.